Presidential debate: 7 questions that should be asked ... and probably won't

There are 22 comments on the
www.washingtonpost.com
story from Oct 3, 2012, titled Presidential debate: 7 questions that should be asked ... and probably won't.
In it, www.washingtonpost.com reports that:

Today's presidential debate in Denver on domestic policy will hit six topics over the course of an hour and a half.

Moderator Jim Lehrer of the PBS NewsHour cant possibly get in all the questions on the minds of Americans.
Here are seven questions that policy experts think should be asked, but probably wont:

Why can't anyone ask the big one? I want them to detail how much medicare and social security is going to cost the government for the baby boomer generation, where are they going to get the money and what if they can't. It is kind of late to not have an answer to this, the leading edge of the baby boomer generation hit 65 a couple of years ago.

The baby boomers are going to cause the number of people over 65 to multiply by 2.5 times, you kind of need to let the cost of that sink in before you worry about what you think are hot button issues.

So many on FOOD STAMPS so many OBESE!Our own government programs are promoting OBESITY!Internal memos and notes indicate Obama WILL make cuts to Medicare, but was told not to say anything to jeopardize his re-election.Obama has already STOLEN (shades of the Social Security EXCESS which was raided!)$716 BILLION from Medicare and applied that money to ObamaCarethereby being able to say to the public...see we didn't have to budget ANY MONEY for starting up OBAMACAREyeah....Obama stoled the money from Medicare.He didn't REPLACE the $716 BILLION back into MEDICAREObama lies about his healthcare, BIll Clinton LIES about Medicare (and what "IS, IS")Obama lies about Terrorist attack in LibyaObama Lies about deaths in aFghanistan due to his Social Justice Foreign Policy of taking away soldiers ability to defend themselvesand Obama hides his BEAN BAG vs BULLETS defense on our borders with Mexico. Another border agent murdered in AZand you wonder why Gov Jan Brewer was shaking her finger at Obama on the tarmacand you wonder why Sheriff Joe is desperately trying to protect AZ citizens-AG Eric Holder had to drop his case against Sheriff Joe...NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE.NO in NOvemberNO to OWE-$16TRILLION-ObamaDon't vote for a single DEmocRat senator=repeal ObamaCare!

I see the attendants forgot to give you your medication before they let you on the computer in the day room!

1. Why was the National Defense Authorization Act signed into law when it includes all American citizens and is this not a violation of the 5th amendment of the constitution and the Posse Comataius Act?

2. Why is the Patriot Act being used against American citizens when the constitution states in the 5th amendment that all citizens will have the right of due process?

3. Why was a national healthcare passed into law when Article 1 Section 8 does not give the federal government the authority to pass a national healthcare law and should this not be held to the states as per the 10th amendment?

4. Why was an American citizen with their rights protected by the constitution assassinated by a drone attack in Yemen, and, if it was considered treason, then why was Treason not issued by a court?

5. Why are we sending our men and women into war zones to fight wars without a proper declaration of war? If considering the War Powers Act, why are we still fighting in one fashion or another outside of the 60 days alotment of the law?

6. Why is the federal government borrowing money at interest from private banks when the federal government has the authority to issue non debt back currency per Article 1 Section 8 of the constitution?

7. Why is the federal government allowing a department like the TSA put their hands down the pants and under the shirts of American citizens without a warrant issued by a judge?

or

7. Are we a Republic or an Empire?

None of these topics will be discussed. I will put money down that none of these will even be brought up. Mark my words and tomorrow you will see.

Go to the airport, go through the TSA. Put your arms up in the air to be groped and frisked. And ask yourself..........Does it look like you are free or prisoners?

Why can't anyone ask the big one? I want them to detail how much medicare and social security is going to cost the government for the baby boomer generation, where are they going to get the money and what if they can't. It is kind of late to not have an answer to this, the leading edge of the baby boomer generation hit 65 a couple of years ago.The baby boomers are going to cause the number of people over 65 to multiply by 2.5 times, you kind of need to let the cost of that sink in before you worry about what you think are hot button issues.

This was easy to see coming. Any competent actuary could have solved the problem in the last 50yrs (cutting them 12 to 15yrs of slack). Most acutaries could solve the problem today, BUT ideology and politics trump reason and math.

Seven Questions:1. Will Romney give specifics on his plans for tax reform.2. Will Romney give specifics on his plans for Medicare.3. Will Romney give specifics on his plans for Health Care.4. Will Romney give specifics on his plans for foreign policy.5. Will Romney give specifics on his jobs plan.6. Will Romney give specifics on his economic plan.7. Will Romney give specifics on his energy plans.

Why can't anyone ask the big one? I want them to detail how much medicare and social security is going to cost the government for the baby boomer generation, where are they going to get the money and what if they can't. It is kind of late to not have an answer to this, the leading edge of the baby boomer generation hit 65 a couple of years ago.The baby boomers are going to cause the number of people over 65 to multiply by 2.5 times, you kind of need to let the cost of that sink in before you worry about what you think are hot button issues.

I'll answer that for you.

It isn't going to cost anything, because the 'baby bom' generation has already paid extra SS taxes to cover their retirement.

The government did 'borrow' that money from the 'baby boom' SS trust fund, and you might better be asking,'how to pay it back?'

The simple answer is, by raising the SS maximum income cutoff (Social Security Wage Base.) It is now $110,000.

<quoted text>I'll answer that for you.It isn't going to cost anything, because the 'baby bom' generation has already paid extra SS taxes to cover their retirement.The government did 'borrow' that money from the 'baby boom' SS trust fund, and you might better be asking,'how to pay it back?'The simple answer is, by raising the SS maximum income cutoff (Social Security Wage Base.) It is now $110,000.I cannot think of another way.

Many boomers will start taking out more than they paid in by their early 70s. Who's paying for the shortfall when they hit age 85?

Raise the SS retirement age to 70 for those currently under age 40. SS was devised to help fund just the last few years of a person's life, not fully fund someone's retirement for a couple decades. People are living significantly longer than when SS was created and the system must change with the times.

<quoted text>Many boomers will start taking out more than they paid in by their early 70s. Who's paying for the shortfall when they hit age 85?Raise the SS retirement age to 70 for those currently under age 40. SS was devised to help fund just the last few years of a person's life, not fully fund someone's retirement for a couple decades. People are living significantly longer than when SS was created and the system must change with the times.

So you expect people working manual labor jobs to have to work until they are 70? Really?? You want a 69 y/o to have to keep working in a coal mine or reshingling your roof or jackhammering conrete because they're not allowed to retire yet?

Many of those people will die before ever receiving a penny of what they paid into the system all their lives. I realize that's the Republican party's solution, but a one age fits all retirement age is ridiculous. Only rich investors or paperpushers would think that's a good idea.

A better answer is to allow people the option of retiring whenever they want, but put a cap on the maximum payout of social security benefits to the amount paid in plus interest.

At least then people will have the freedom to choose whether they want to retire or whether they can physically keep working.

<quoted text>Many boomers will start taking out more than they paid in by their early 70s. Who's paying for the shortfall when they hit age 85?Raise the SS retirement age to 70 for those currently under age 40. SS was devised to help fund just the last few years of a person's life, not fully fund someone's retirement for a couple decades. People are living significantly longer than when SS was created and the system must change with the times.

There is logic to what you say, until you remember that it is very hard to keep working into your late 60's; and most employers will be trying to get rid of you.

To implement your scheme, you would have to insure some sort of lifetime job guarantee, or else see many seniors starve after they can no longer get or do work, and yet are under 70. Perhaps you can develop along this line.

Many boomers not on SS yet; and those in their 70's now are war babies, pre-boomers.

When the boomers are 85, the people now being born, to those in their 40's will pay their SS retirement. And when those now in their 40's retire, those born twenty years from now will pay for their SS.

And again, you are partially correct. Because of inflation, the money amounts paid into SS in the late 1960's and early 70's seem small, until you remember that a very good pay rate then was $8,000/year.Now, it is TEN TIMES trhat, because of inflation.

More to the point, the amount of money put in 40 and 50 years ago is not relevant, as it was paid out at rhe same relative (to inflation) rates as tiday.If inflation continues at this pace, 20-year-olds today, earning $60,000 will be earning $600,000 when they retire; and their payments to SS today will too seem paltry to the simple and unsophisticated.

You have great ideas.Keep thinking, but think them out more completely as I have demonstrated.

I hope that you know that retirement age for SS is already 66, and is floating upwards by about a month for every six months of age at retirement.

<quoted text>I'll answer that for you.It isn't going to cost anything, because the 'baby bom' generation has already paid extra SS taxes to cover their retirement.The government did 'borrow' that money from the 'baby boom' SS trust fund, and you might better be asking,'how to pay it back?'The simple answer is, by raising the SS maximum income cutoff (Social Security Wage Base.) It is now $110,000.I cannot think of another way.

Borrowing the money is when mr bill says robert can I borrow some money and I say ok. What they did is steal it as far as I am concerned to spend it on something I don't want them buying in the first place.

And we will get by on that, the shortfall is not going to break us, it is medicare that is going to break us. That is why we need private accounts run by professionals.

Why can't anyone ask the big one? I want them to detail how much medicare and social security is going to cost the government for the baby boomer generation, where are they going to get the money and what if they can't. It is kind of late to not have an answer to this, the leading edge of the baby boomer generation hit 65 a couple of years ago.The baby boomers are going to cause the number of people over 65 to multiply by 2.5 times, you kind of need to let the cost of that sink in before you worry about what you think are hot button issues.

Actually, Social Security has a 2.7 Trillion dollar surplus. I doubt if it is really in trouble. The keep talking about revenue (money coming in) being less than outlays in 20 years. The do NOT factor in the surplus.

<quoted text>Actually, Social Security has a 2.7 Trillion dollar surplus. I doubt if it is really in trouble. The keep talking about revenue (money coming in) being less than outlays in 20 years. The do NOT factor in the surplus.

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